Everyone who visits Edinburgh wants to see Edinburgh Castle and so did we. The castle sits high upon a volcanic crag overlooking the city. It has been there for hundreds of years and its elevated location at the top of steep cliffs provided a superb defensive position against attack. We spent several hours taking an audio tour of the castle.
The old city spread downhill from the castle. Today the road down from the castle is called the Royal Mile and it provides a number of interesting historic sites, including small alleyways that lead to secluded courtyards. The contemporary Royal Mile is also cluttered with schlocky tourist shops, so if you want to buy a knockoff kilt, a tartan scarf, or a box of fudge it’s the place to go. We strolled down the Royal Mile and had lunch at one of the pubs, The World’s End.
At the foot of the Royal Mile sits the Palace of Holyroodhouse, the principal residence of the Kings and Queens of Scots since the 16th century. The royal family often preferred spending time at bucolic Holyrood rather than at windy, crowded, and smelly Edinburgh Castle. Today, Holyrood serves as the home of Queen Elizabeth II when she visits Edinburgh, typically for a week in early summer each year. We toured this magnificent palace as well as the adjacent ruins of the old abbey.
